The present invention relates to fluid handling pumps with floating wrist pins and, in particular, to an improved construction thereof for simplfying the assembly of a number of planar-mounted, radially displaced connecting rods relative to the pump's crankshaft and wherein each connecting rod contains a floating wrist pin.
Fluid handling pumps of the present type, generally operate in a push-pull fashion relative to an eccentric lobe contained on the pump's crankshaft. Each eccentric thus drives the piston or diaphragm assemblies of one or more cylinders to and fro and which assemblies radiate from the eccentric. Each piston or diaphragm assembly, in turn, comprises a connecting rod, a floating wrist pin, a push rod for threadable mounting in the wrist pin and the piston or diaphragm head itself. A previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,179 assigned to the present assignee, Lear Siegler, Inc., issuing on Apr. 26, 1983 and entitled "Pumps with Floating Wrist Pins" generally describes the construction of pumps of these types and their use of floating wrist pins. Also disclosed therein is the retention of a number of connecting rods to the pump's crankshaft via a pair of circumferentially positioned retainer rings. This feature further being exhibited in pumps such as manufactured by Annovi Reverebi S.p.A.
While the above patent sets forth a greatly improved and more easily assembled construction, it has become apparent that the assembly may be improved so as to further facilitate the assembly and maintenance thereof. It is in this regard that the present invention is directed and wherein the construction of the floating wrist pin and connecting rod have been modified so as to provide for the mounting of a number of connecting rods about a pair of retainer rings and the retention of the connecting rods thereto upon inserting and locking the wrist pins to the connecting rods.
The various objects, advantages and distinctions of the present improved invention will, however, become more apparent upon referring to the following description thereof. Before referring thereto, though, it is to be recognized that the present invention is described with respect to its presently preferred embodiment only and that, accordingly, still other modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.